MPA Cement publishes Sustainable Development Report 2017

MPA Cement, part of the MPA trade association, has published its annual Sustainable Development Report for 2017 detailing air quality improvements and the need for Government action in removing market distortion in the use of biomass fuels.

The report highlights the UK cement industry’s efforts to tackle air quality and progress on greenhouse gas reduction as air quality is currently high on the Government agenda. MPA cement members have made major investments in recent years to reduce emissions to air so that levels of nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and sulphur dioxide are now 84%, 86% and 82% lower than in 1998 respectively.

“This latest sustainable development report clearly demonstrates the great effort the cement manufacturers have taken to minimise the impact of their operations on the environment, neighbours and their own employees," said Dr Richard Leese, MPA Cement Director. "In coming years, a key focus for the sector will be meeting tighter conditions from EU legislation whilst ensuring that domestic production remains internationally competitive”.

A specific concern highlighted in the report relates to the manufacturers’ ability to reduce their fossil fuel use and that waste derived alternatives require heavy investment. The rate of fossil fuel replacement is slowing as a result of increasing competition for such fuels from other users which, unlike the cement industry, receive Government incentives.

“Cement is an essential material to meet society’s needs for homes, schools, hospitals, leisure and workplaces," added Dr Leese. "The industry has ambitious goals for decarbonisation but if these ambitions are to be achieved, action must be taken to remove market distortion from the biomass fuels market to allow cement manufacturers to compete on a level playing field”.